Automatic fire-extinguisher system.



S. W. BRAIN/mil AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER sx'snzm.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, 9)

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

MMMM 6 v S, W. BRAINARD. AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER SYSTFM.

APPLICATION man mm x, 1911. M65386. Pathted Dec. 28, 1915.

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and? si te- SIDNEY W. BRAINARIJ, 0F AKRON, OHIO. -ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER COMPANY OF AMEEICA, A CGBEOBATION.

.fiUTOhEATIC FIRE-EXTING-UISHEE SYSTEM.

T 0 all whom it may, concern."

Be it known that 1, Sienna: W. BIL-HEARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the ,county of Summit and State ofOhio, have invented new and useful improvements in'Automatic Fire-Extinguisher Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic fire-extinguisher systems, and the, object is to provide a valve of simple construction for automatically connecting the sprinkler system with the water supply upon the opening of one or more of the sprinklers-caused by the excessive heat generated by the fire, having a very simple and effectively operating tripping-mechanism.

With thdabove object in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter fully described, par tioularly pointed out in the claims, and clearly illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which.

Figure 1 is a sectional view, showing the valve-mechanism in normal position, closing communication between the system and water supply and Fig. 2, a similar view, showing the position of the parts when the valve has been tripped and such communication established.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the valve-body or casin provided with a waterinlet 1 connected with the water supply and having a seat 2 for the inwardly opening valve 3 which is pivotally mounted in the body or casing 1. This valve is normally held to its seat by toggle consisting of two members 4 and 4. Member 4 rests at its free end in a depression 4: formed in the inner face of the valve and at its opposite end is formed with a loop 4 to receive a h1g7 carried by an arm 7 projecting from the end of. a sliding plunger 7. The lug 7?. when the toggle is in position holding the valve to its seat, bears against a seat 7 formed in member 4. Member P is formed of two parts,-5 and 6, the part having a loop 5 on one end to receive a pin or stud 25 carried by the valve-body or casing and having its opposite end screw-threaded for adjustableconnection with the other part 6 which is in the form of a nut having a projecting-portion 6 seated in a depression 7 inthe arm 7" of the sliding plunger. When Specification of Letters Patent. Pa -ign t d D 28 1915 Application filed July 1, 1311.

Serial No. 636,541.

. member l bears against the arm 7 of the plunger and the pin 25. The valve is thus held positively to its seat against the pressure of the water-supply until the plunger is moved forwardly to break the toggle.

Thevalve-body is provided with an outlet provided with a check-valve body 3'? having a seat 35 forthe check-valve disk 36 which is normally held thereon by the air-pressure in the syst in with which the valve-body 37 is connected. This check-valve excludes the air pressure from the main valve-body or casing l.

"he body or casing l is formed of two chambers one containing the mechanism hereinbei ore described and the other the tripping-mechanism and the wall or partition separating these/two chambers is provided with a bushing 8 in which the plunger 7 slides, said plunger having a valve portion 2" at its inner end which, when it is in forward position, engages a seat 8 formed in the bushing and prevents escape of water from the chamber in which the toggle mechanism is located to that in which the trippingunechanism is placed.

The plunger 7 is operated by a weight 11 which is pivotally supported on a pivotpin 28. Said weight is provided on one side of its pivot with an operating-arm or lever 29 which works in a slot in the plunger 7 and eiiects the sliding-movement of the latter. 1

Thenumeral 3S designates the air-pot or chamber having a seat 14 for a pivoted disk 15. The air-space in this chamber is in communication with the sprinkler system through the pipe E. The disk 15 is thus held to its seat by air pressure in the system. On the face opposite to that acted on by an pressure, said disk has a centrally-de-- pending lug 15 against which, when the disk is seated, the free end of an intermediately pivoted tripping-lever 12 hours. This lever at its opposite end is formed with a notched or bifurcated portion to be engaged by the hooked end of an arm 33 pivoted to the weight. This hook-lever 33 holds up the tripping-weight until the air in the chamber 38 drops below a certain pressure, ordinarily about 13 pounds per square inch in the deviceat this time. The plunger is held from movement by a retaining device comprising two members 9 and 10. '1 be part 10 is pivotally attached at one end to the the end of the plunger 7.

The operation of my improved valve is as follows: Assuming the parts to be inthe positions shown in Fig. 1,41 sprinkler or adanitteu above the disk 15.

. raised and the several sprinklers open and the air begins to exhaust from the main pipe system, reducing the pressure to a pre-determined point (usually 12 to 14 pounds in airsysten'is, whereas normally about 35 to h) pounds pressure is carried). The weight 11 exerts itself upon the trippingqnechanism and the disk 15, swinging the latter on its pivot, and the air-is rapidly exhausted. Lever 12 is pulled downward by the weight and the hooked lever 33 dise'ngages the same. This llows the upwardly extending portion of the weight to be dropped to horizontal position and said weight to strike the pin of a switch for completing a circuit to an electric alarm not shown. As the weight drops, it causes the lCVQl'OP part 10 to swing on its pivot, which in turn releases lever or part 9 and permits the plunger 7 to be moved forwardly by the arm 29 of the weight. This n'iovcment of the. plunger breaks the toggle and releases the 'valve 3 which is'unseated by the water pressure. The water unseats the check-valve 36 and fills the entire system. The arm 2!) of the weightacts to accelerate the unscating oi the valve portion of the plunger, in resetting the mechanism, as normally the body portion of this valve is open to the atomsphereboth through the opening around the plunger and through a ball-drip lvhen' the mcchanisn'i. is tripped. the valve-disk 15 is lifted somewlmt off its scat 1-1 and the short end of lever 12 which bears against thc centrally-depcnding 'lug carried by the disk. passes by this lug and locked against assui'riing its normal position until the disk is raised and the end oi the lever placed beneath the lug, thereby rendcring it impossible to re-sct the valve except by manual operation.

in order to set the valve the disk 15 is rais. -1 and the end of lever 12* is placed beneathye depending lug l5" andair isthen The weight 11 on the end of the tripping lever is then hokcd end of the arm 33 en gaged with the l'iifurcated portion of the tripping lever 12. The valvh is then lowered upon its seat and the. various parts of the stress and tripping mechanism are set practically in the relations shown in the tion, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A valve for automatic fire-extingl-iisher systems, comprising a casing having an inlet connected with a watqr supply and an outlet connected with tl a system, a valve disk normally closing said inlet. a toggledevice tin holding said valve-disk to its seat, a sliding member having an operative connection with said toggle-device. an air chamherin communication'with the system, a disk in said chamber normally held to its seat by air-i'n'essure. a pivoted tripping lever having one end engaging said disk. :1 pivoted weight for actuating the slidingmember, a lumk-men'iber pivotallycarried by the weight having its hook-cud engaging the opposite end of the tripping lever, whereby the weight is held suspended while the disk is seated, and means for holding the sliding-men'lber from movement oper-' atedto release the same the weight.

2. A valve for automatic fire extinguisher systems comprising a casing having an inlet connected with a water supply and an outlct connected with the system, a valve disk normally closing said inlet. a togglcwlevi c for holding said valve-disk to its seat. a slidi-ng member having an operative connection with said toggle-device, an air-chamber in communication with the system. a disk in said chamber normally held to its seat by air pressure, a ivoted tripping lever hav mg one end engaging said disk, :1 pivoted weight for actuating the sliding-men'iber, a hook-lever pivot llv carried by the weight having its hool.-cr l engaging the opposite end of the trippmg lever. whereby the.

by the movement of weight is held suspended while the disk is the opposite end of the first-mentioned men'iber.

3. A valve for automatic fire-extinguisher systems. connn-ising a casing having an in let connected with a water supply and an outlet connected with the system, a valve-disk normally,- closing said inlet, a toggle-device -necti0n with said toggle-device, an air- .cha-mber in communication with the system,

a disk in said chamber normally held to its seat by air pressure, said disk having a depending lug, a tripping-lever pivoted intermediatel'y of its ends in said casing and having one end adapted to engage the lug of the disk, at pivoted weight for actuating the sliding-member, a pivoted-member earried by the Weight adapted to engage the opposite end of the tripping-lever, whereby the weight is held suspended while the disk is seated; and means for holding the slidingmember from movement, said means operated to release the same by the movement of the weight.

In testimony. whereof, I allix my signa- 2o ture in the presence of two witnesses. SIDNEY \V. BRAINARD.

itnesses HENRY L. BURBANK, C. X. T ULLER. 

